[xoxoxoBruce]

Looking at the manufacturing sector.

The Fight For $15 protest movement has gained support recently, as the Democratic Party added a national $15 minimum wage to its platform and presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation that would do this by 2020. An increase of this magnitude will have a much greater reach than the minimum wages we currently see in the U.S., which raises the important question of how a $15 minimum wage would affect manufacturing. The potential for lost jobs is particularly acute given that many manufacturers face global competition. If wages become too high in one place, it's easier for a manufacturer than for, say, a restaurant, to relocate operations. After all, the huge decline in manufacturing employment in previous decades is in part a warning about the unsustainability of above-market wages in a globally competitive environment.